Fire-extinguishing apparatus



(No Model.)

I '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. P-ERELES. FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

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S E L E R E D E m d 0 M 0 W FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

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NITED STATES- PATENT Fries.

EDWARD PERELES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,282, dated March13, 1888.

Application filed April '22, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDwARnPERELEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, county of Guyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-ExtinguishingApparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a description ofthe same and of the manner of constructing and using the invention, insuch full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any personskilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of thespecification, the principle of the invention being herein explained andthe best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, soas to distinguish it from other inventions.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus to extinguishfiresin buildings, and particularly in elevator-shafts.

The nature of the invention consists of the construction set forth indetail in the following description, and finally summarized in theclaims.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an elevatorshaft fitted with myfireextinguishing apparatus. The elevator-shaft is represented as adjoining the wall of the building on one side;

therefore the pipe extending around the outside of the shaft is shown asencircling but the three open sides. Fig. 2 is a detail view of aportion of the trap-door, water-pipe, and connecting mechanism. Fig. 3is an elevation view of the trap-door as it appears in position to bedropped. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of elevatorshaft andextinguishing apparatus. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the trapdoor. Fig. 6is a detail view of the slotin the trap and the spring-valve coveringthe same.

A is the elevator-shaft, provided with a vertical main water-supplypipe, B, the latter having the horizontal branch pipes G at every floor.These extend around the four sides of the interior of the shaft, whileon the exterior of the same are the branch pipes D, connected with thebranch pipes G. Branch pipes are shown in Fig. 1 as passing around butthe three open sides of the elevator-shaft, the fourth side beingrepresented as abutting the outside wall of the building. Also connectedSerial No. 235,733. (No model.)

to pipes O are the pipes E, with which the ceilings of the differentstair-ways are provided, or which are placed under the stairways, asrepresented in upper stairway, p, of Fig. 1. These several branch pipesare provided with longitudinal slots (6, through which water may beemitted when the pipes are filled.

F are trapdoors, hinged by hinges b to the sides 0 of theelevator-shaft. When not 1n use, the upper part of the doors restagainst the sides of the shaft, as represented in Fig. 1. Near its hingeend the door is provided with the slanting lug (Z. A two-armed lever, G,is pivoted so that its one end engages with lug d, and is provided witha wire, 6, which as this end of the lever is elevated opens valve f,that controls connection between the main and branch pipes,respectively, B O D E. The opposite end of thelever is also providedwith a wire, g, which is placed in pipe h, thatleads down to the groundfloor on the outside of the building, or in any suitable location, andterminates in handle j. As each floor is provided with trap door, lever,valve, &c., a description of one is a description of every other.

A transverse slot, H, is cut into the trapdoor from its outer edge to apoint near its center, that in falling permits the elevatorcable to passthrough it. This slotis covered by the spring-pressed valve is, whichthe force of the door striking the cable in falling causes to move back,and which the spring-bolts immediately move forward when the door hasfallen, closing the slot. The side of the trap-door on which the lug isplaced is cut away somewhat from its outer side to its center, to permitthe trap-door to clear the rack-faced safety bar at, which extendsvertically up the side of the shaft. On the opposite side the trapdooris sufficiently removed from the side of the elevator-shaft to permitits falling clear of corresponding rack-faced bar.

In practice I may use a valve similar to valve is to close the openingformed in the trap-door, to permit it to clear the rack-bar m. Theoperation of the device is as follows: The trap-doors are in theirnormal elevated position. A fire occurs on any floor-for instance, onthe second floorand by reason of the great draft in the elevator-shaftwill make rapid headway unless the draft is checked.

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An employ rushes to that point in or outside of the building where thehandlesj of the different wires are located. He turns on the water byany suitable valve from street-mains into the main pipe B. He then pullsthe handle attached to the lever on second floor. This causes the outerend of the lever to be de pressed and the inner end to be raised. Thisinner end engages with slanting lug d, and as it raises gradually throwstrapdoor out of perpendicular line and causes it to fall across theshaft, the spring-pressed valve in trap door opening by the pressure andpermitting cable to enter slot; but when the trap-door has reachedhorizontal position the springbolts cause valve to close. Thus the draftis out off, at the same time and by the same movement the valvef,leading from main pipe to the several branches, is opened, and the waterin the main pours into the branches and out of the slots a, with whichthey are provided, flooding the shaft both inside and out, as well asthe stairways, effectually checking the tire. If thought wise, the trapsof all the floors may be dropped and the water turned on throughout thebuilding.

I may use the branch pipes 0 without the pipes D or E, or any twowithout the third, or any one without the remaining two.

I claim- 1. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination of ahinged elevatorshaft trapdoor, water-pipes for flooding the shaft, anoperating-lever, and intermediate a valve controlling opening in saidpipes and connected with said lever, said lever engaging with said door,whereby the operation of said lever si multaneously closes said trap andopens the water-connection to said pipes, substantially as setforth.

2. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination of the water-pipeO, encircling the interior of the elevator-shaft, the waterpipe D,passing outside the same, water-main connecting with the two,hingedelevatonshaft trap-door F, lever G, engaging with said door, and avalve controlling opening in said pipes and connected with said lever,substantially as set forth.

3. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination of the water-pipesC D E, watermain connecting with them, hinged elevatorshaft trapdoor F,lever G, engaging with said door, and a valve controlling opening insaid pipes and connected with said lever, substantially as set forth.

4. In a tire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination of elevator-shaftA, the trap-door F, hinged at its lower end and provided near its hingedend with lug d, the water-pipes B C D, the valve f, controlling theconnection between pipe B and pipes C D, and lever G, engaging at oneend with said lug and connecting with said valve, whereby simultaneouslythe trap is dropped and the valve opened when said lever isoperated,substantially as set forth.

5. In a fireextinguishing apparatus, the combination of elevator-shaftA, the trap F, hinged at its lower end and provided near its hinged endwith lug d, the water-pipes B C D, the valveficontrolling the connectionbetween pipe B and pipes G D, andlever G, said lever engaging at one endwith said lug, and having wire 0, connecting with said valve, and havingat its opposite end wire 9, whereby simultaneously the trap is droppedand the valve opened when said lever is operated, sub stantially as setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention I havehereunto set my hand this 14th day of April, A. D. 1887.

EDVARD PERELES.

WVitnesses:

E. J. OLLuo, J. B. FA-Y.

